By Laila Ajrouh

Ifran - We spend most of our day at work; this is why changing the work environment into a happier living place has always been a great challenge for many organizations and institutions. Tremendous attempts have been made; however, we still witness disappointments and failures.

One of the key remedies acknowledged by consensus within almost all sectors to ameliorate this crucial problem is ethics.

The concept of Ethics in the workplace is becoming one of the most discussed topics in the 21 Century since work itself has great value to our lives. It plays a pivotal role in giving our lives meaning.

Indeed, all over the world and within many sectors there is a growing conviction that Ethics can improve the significance of work experiences. This can be achieved by promoting ethical valuesin the workplace by thinking beyond the self and company interest, implementing ethical standards and guidelines in decision making, and putting the collective interest and social welfare of all company employees, at all levels, at the top of the company priority list.

The company struggling to build an ethical culture by encouraging ethical values does not think only of making the best profit, but also considers making its employees feel that sense of belonging within its walls and care about their social wellbeing. This kind of principle is referred to as ethical leadership and is defined  by Brown, Treviño, & Harrison as “the demonstration of normatively appropriate conduct through personal actions and interpersonal relationships, and the promotion of such conduct to followers through two-way communication, reinforcement, and decision making” (Brown Treviño, & Harrison, 2005, p. 120). Yes, this ethical guidance is mandatory to build trust and create an ethical work climate in which both the firm’s growth and social progress are promoted (see Brown et al., 2005).

When we talk about ethics in the workplace, we indirectly insinuate that four core characteristics should exist in an ethical leader to promote an ethical culture and collective interest at work. As defined by Brown et al. (2005), these are honesty, trustworthy, fairness, and caring.

When the work climate is ethical, and when the leader(s) is ethical, all employees will be pleased and inspired to behave ethically. They will be creative, they will take initiative, they will do their best to solve problems and participate in effective decision making.  In such an ethical space all employees will have positive, and durable self-motivation to act and work with ethics, as well as to help the organization achieve its objectives and to fulfil its mission effectively and ethically at both internal and external levels.

To promote this ethical climate and to strengthen the ethical behavior in employees, leaders and/or managers should have the ability and the willingness to guide their employees. They can manage them not only as human resources but also as human beings and enrich their leadership style by acting morally, promoting morality, and emphasizing interest in their employees (Brown et al., 2005).

With this aim in mind, I believe that the best strategy for organizations to start with is to develop an ethical culture inside the company by implementing workshops and seminars to enable ethical self-development for all employees, including the top management. Furthermore, organizations should take into consideration the moral and ethical characteristics when hiring for key positions, and assess the ethical ability of its staff on a regular basis.

We all need leaders who show integrity, honesty, fairness, concern, respect, trust, and openness in their deeds and acts. We need those who believe in the golden rule of ethics that exists in all cultures: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” In Buddhism, they believe to “Hurt not others with that which pains yourself”; Islam asserts that “No one of you is a believer until he loves for his neighbor what he loves for himself”, and Christians state that “Whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them””…etc.

In his book “Ethics 101: What Every Leader Needs to Know” (2003), John Maxwell said that “People say that they want integrity. But at the same time, ironically, studies indicate that the majority of people don’t always act with the kind of integrity they request from others,” and he insisted that all human beings want to be “valued, appreciated, trusted, respected, understood, and hate that others take advantage from them.” So let’s all make the golden rule our motto for life.

REFERENCES

Core Professional Values for the Teen Services Profession. (2015). Young Adult Library Services, 14(1), 4-6. Retrieved, April 29, 2016, from Academic Search Complete.

Geoffrey, S., Margaret M.M., & Caron M. (2015). The impact of the work environment on ethical decision making: Some Australian evidence. Journal of Business Ethics, 13 (5), 327-339.  http://www.jstor.org/stable/25072537.

Hao, Z., Maozhu, J., & Qian, M. (2015). Remedy for work stress: The impact and mechanism of ethical leadership. Central European Journal Of Public Health, 23(2), 176-180. Retrieved, April 22, 2016, from Academic Search Complete.

John C. M. (2003). Ethics 101: What every leader needs to know. New York: Center Street.

Steenkamp, P. L. (2013). Protestant ethic: Contributing towards a meaningful workplace.

Hervormde Teologiese Studies, 69(1), 1-11. doi:10.4102/hts.v69i1.1315. Retrieved, April 1st, 2016, from Academic Search Complete.

Suk Bong, C., Ullah, S. E., & WON Jun, K. (2015). Ethical Leadership and followers ‘attitudes towards corporate social responsibility: The role of perceived ethical work climate. Social Behavior & Personality: An International Journal, 43(3), 353-365. doi:10.2224/sbp.2015.43.3.353. Retrieved, April 22, 2016, from Academic Search Complete.

Victor, B., & Cullen, J. B.. (1988). The Organizational Bases of Ethical Work Climates.

Administrative Science Quarterly, 33(1), 101–125. http://doi.org/10.2307/2392857

Layla Ajrouh is doctorate student, School of Humanities, Mouly Ismail University, Meknes, Morocco. She works at the Academic Affairs Department, AL Akhawayn University, Ifrane, Morocco.

© Morocco World News. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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Rabat - Shakira, along with seven other celebrities from the Spanish-speaking world, launched a new philanthropy campaign in partnership with the Juegaterapia Foundation earlier this week to distribute a line of bald dolls to raise money for childhood cancer research.

The Columbian artist tweeted a picture of the doll on Monday and said the whole collection is available for sale on the Spain-based foundation’s website, as well as select toy stores and Amazon.

Shak diseñó este pelón de @juegaterapia para ayudar a los niños enfermos y está en https://t.co/uRsYdUJXiA! ShakHQ pic.twitter.com/6bAQaljtxx

— Shakira (@shakira) May 2, 2016

The foundation provides care to patients in Spain and Morocco, among other countries. The other artists involved in the project include three-time Grammy winner Alejandro Sanz, theatre actress Rossy de Palma and five other big names.

Most of the dolls have been named after the stars participating in the campaign. Each doll wears a different bandana representing the personality of the patient the doll has been designed to replicate.

Shakira’s doll wears a bandera stamped with pink kisses and espouses a face expressing wonder with wide eyes and freckles.

All profits from the sale of the dolls will be donated to the foundation’s work, including efforts to distribute games to hospitals with ill children and transforming the roofs of medical centers into gardens for patients to enjoy.

“The doll helps normalize the situation for sick children, but also make others understand what they suffer,” a spokesperson for the foundation said.

Shakira has participated in several charities in the past, including Children’s Defense Fund, UNICEF, Habitat for Humanity and many others, according to the website Look to the Stars, which tracks celebrity philanthropy.

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Rabat - Youth and political science studies have both produced extensive research on youth participation in politics.

The classical approach to youth participation arises from the socialization theories of the 1950s and 1960s, namely those of Eisenstadt (1956), Coleman (1961) and Parsons (1952). These authors define the political participation of young people as the process of their assimilation into the structure of society through internalizing dominant social norms. Youth participation is ensured through their involvement in existing institutions and arrangements. Participation is then seen not as the process of controlling young people and their activities in accordance with the requirements of the state system but is rather about their autonomy or self-fulfillment. However, this theory has been criticized for being biased for perceiving youth as passive recipients of the society’s values.

In the 1990s, a radical shift occurred in youth and political science studies. Youth participation trends differed from those of the 1970s and 1980s. Inglehart (1997) argues that younger generations are participating in politics but in “loose, less hierarchical informal networks and various lifestyle-related sporadic mobilization efforts.” Stolle, Hooghe and Micheletti (2003) also stress young people’s inclination to participate in less bureaucratic and hierarchical organizations.

A study carried out by the British Council (2013) on youth participation in politics in the Arab world showed that young people are disenchanted with and disengaged from the current political structure. The study revealed that the youth voter turnout is very low and does not come close to representing actual youth populations.

Figures of Moroccan youth participation in political parties are far below the global average. Just 1 percent of young people are active in political parties in Morocco. This figure could be explained by the fact that Moroccan youth often associate political parties with corruption and favoritism. Parties are seen as having lost their moral values and forfeited public trust. Another reason for this low participation rate is historical: in the past political participation often meant persecution and jail.

Moroccan young people’s disenchantment with political outlets can be attributed to three main factors: the widespread lack of trust in the structure of established political parties, youths’ frustration at limited chances to engage as key actors in public life and the recent availability of new alternatives of self-expression and political participation.

Political science literature outlines three basic forms of political participation (Chisholm & Kovacheva 2002): traditional participation in institutional politics through elections and political party membership, demonstration activities through street protests and new social movements and civic engagement expressed through involvement in associations and volunteer work.

However, it seems that new political participation patterns are taking place through the use of communication technologies due to young people’s frustration with their limited opportunities to meaningfully engage in public life.

Alternative Patterns of Youth Participation in Morocco

A huge shift has occurred in youth participation in political life. Youth participation has drifted away from traditional forms of participation, such as elections, campaigns and political party membership, that were common in the 1970s and 1980s. Young people are participating in politics but in less bureaucratic and hierarchical organizations. The new patterns of political participation defined by Inglehart (1997) are motivated by many factors in the Moroccan context.

Frustrated with older generations’ dominance in politics and with the corrupt political parties in their country, younger generations in Morocco are breaking down traditional models of participation and are instead establishing new patterns of political participation.

New Patterns of Youth Political Participation

Digital Media: With the availability of new communication technologies and readily accessible media tools, Moroccan young people increasingly rely on new digital media to express themselves and voice their ideas, thus creating new spheres and forms of political and civic participation. Some patterns of public participation that once took place on the street are now occurring in the virtual realm (via social networks); digital activism has also proven capable of mobilizing large numbers of people to demonstrate in the streets.

Religious groups: Increasingly distancing themselves from traditional political establishments and?institutions,?some categories of Moroccan youth have found?alternative?mechanisms, often?with a?religious?dimension, for self expression. Participation in religious groups often takes place in the private sphere and frequently includes the formation of small groups to discuss different societal issues and give youth participants a sense of belonging.

Political self-expression through arts: There is a new tendency for young people to express themselves through graffiti on school walls and public institutions’ external façades. Graffiti is seen as a channel for the youth to voice their opinions often unheard by the political elite, political parties and traditional public institutions.

Social entrepreneurship: Practiced widely in Morocco, social entrepreneurship is becoming a new means for young people to work to solve societal problems. It is one of the fastest growing sectors in NGOs and youth activism, with new programs that aim to achieve social benefits throughout society on a sustainable basis.

Additionally, young people are responding to appeals from organizations with environmental concerns, calling for consumer boycotts and combating sexual abuse of children without necessarily becoming members of relevant organizations or involved in any political outlets.

In the case of Morocco, these patterns are a reflection of the inaccessibility of the existing political process. Moroccan young people, if given the opportunities to be meaningfully involved with political parties, would likely demonstrate high degrees of commitment and engagement in the political process.

Political participation is a fundamental democratic right. Traditional political institutions should help remove existing barriers to youth political participation. From a pragmatic perspective, if young people have the perception that formal political processes are not attractive or accessible, this can shape their attitudes for a lifetime, with potentially long-lasting negative impacts on Morocco’s political culture.

Edited by Kelsey Fish

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Rabat - A number of international lawyers have started a petition under the slogan “No to the exploitation of minors working domestic jobs” against a bill in the House of Representatives that aims to authorize minors as young as 16 to work legally as maids in Morocco.

On Monday, the Committee on Social Sectors approved bill 19.12, which also regulates working conditions for domestic servants, with seven members supporting the release of the draft for a vote by the entire legislature. Two other committee members opposed the draft’s release.

Critics of the bill say the minimum age to work as a maid should have been raised to 18 before it became tabled vote.

According to a report by Hespress, the lawyers protesting the bill have amassed over 1600 signatures over the past few days. Signatories of the petition insist that children must have the opportunity to enjoy their rights to their full extent. They say that May 9 represents a “sad day” for young girls in Morocco because the law “destroys [their] dreams of a better life” and “exploits their childhood."

“In the name of the children of Morocco and its young girls, we ask of you all to shoulder your responsibilities completely as representatives of the nation in the general voting session of the bill and to make the appropriate decision based on the constitutional principles and international treaties to which the kingdom has agreed,” the group’s statement said to the national legislature.

 “Take into consideration the opinions of the National Council on Human Rights, the Economic, Social and Environmental Council and also other experts in the field.”

The signatories of the petition also emphasized that allowing 16-year-olds to work as domestic servants would make them more vulnerable to exploitation via their socioeconomic disadvantages. The bill would be against the development of the country and decrease the minors' chances of becoming economically and socially integrated in society, they added.

Abdeslam Saddiki, Minister of Employment, has previously defended the bill as "international laws indicate that the minimum working age should not be lower than the mandatory schooling age," which is 15 in Morocco. He has also said the draft's other provisions, which, among other new rules, require employers to sign a contract with the servants, would "lift the injustice" maids have been suffering for years.

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Rabat - In a competition organized on Monday by the French weekly news and political magazine Le Point, Salah Ghamizi, a Moroccan student engineer at the “Ecole des Mines de Nancy” in France, won the "les Défricheurs" award for his start-up "Waza Education."

The Moroccan student was able to convince the jury - composed of experts and journalists of Le Point - of the innovative nature of his start-up that aims to improve and create a bridge between businesses and universities.

During the five minutes allotted to him to explain his start-up, the Moroccan engineer student quickly managed to sway the jury and the public of his innovative business plan.

In an interview with Le Point, Salah Ghamizi, said, "My father is a researcher teacher in Morocco.”

“At the end of his career, he has conducted a lot of paperwork instead of looking for funding and partners. And when I arrived in France for my engineering studies, I found that the problem was not just in Moroccan, but a problem with all universities,” he added.

Given these facts, the Moroccan student said that he found himself obliged to find a way to link research and enterprises.

Ghamizi had already made his name in inventions and creativity.

In 2014, he invented the “HandSpeaker,” a translation device for sign language, which is composed of a pair of gloves and a mobile application that translates the sign language into speech. Using sensors positioned on the digital glove, HandSpeaker translates the signals into spoken words by sending signals to the smartphone, which analyzes the motion of the glove, and transcribes them into words and phrases by a voice box.

The 23 year-old student previously won the National Award of “entrepreneurial,” “Startem” price and the Bank of France contest “Créactiv’Est,” before taking his project “Hand-speaker” to the “World Cup,” organized by Enactus, organized in 2014 in Beijing, with participants from 38 countries.

Asked by Le Point if Steve Jobs is a model to follow, the Moroccan inventor responded negatively, stressing that Salman Khan the better example to follow. The educator Salman Khan is the founder of Khan Academy, which is a non-profit educational organization created in 2006 with the aim of providing a "free, world-class education for anyone, anywhere."

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Fez - After two days of being subjected to horrendous physical and psychological violence before the eyes of hundreds of students at the Faculty of Science in Meknes, Chaimae comes out in a statement to Alyaoum24 news outlet to tell her story in detail. 

Restraining tears and with a lump at her throat, Chaimae describes the amount of violence inflicted on her by the radical leftist student group known as “The Interim Program.”

Chaimae was accused of spying on the leftist group who hold a different ideology than her own. “About twenty students attacked me and dragged me from my hair to the university. I know them one by one. They used to eat and drink at the cafeteria where I work. I was out when they came to me armed with swords and dragged me from my hair to the university campus,” she said.

“They called out for all students to attend the trial and they started making verdicts. Some said my hand should be severed. Others said my eyebrows should be shaved and my hair cut. Finally they decided that my eyebrows should be shaved and my hair cut,” She added.

The terror the sixteen year old suffered at the hands of the ISIS-like students was tremendous. The physical wounds may heal with time, but the psychological scars would remain.

 “Zouhir and Zakia were the ones who executed the verdict; they beat me, and shaved my eyebrows. She tied and blindfolded me. I was crying and beseeching them to remove the blindfold, which they did. I recognized them one by one…” she said with tears in her eyes.

After filing a complaint against the perpetrators, Chaimae said that the police arrested some of the “monster[s]” that attacked her and that the investigation is still ongoing. “I don’t want what I have experienced to happen to another girl. I also want that the perpetrators get their deserved punishment.”

The Moroccan university has always been a theatre for ideological confrontations with a history of assassinations, murders, and violence between different ideological factions.

Despite the collapse of the USSR and the emergence of a new world political order, the leftist ideology is still deeply rooted in the Moroccan university. The frequent clashes between the Islamists and the leftists inhibit the Moroccan university from achieving its goals and living up to the expectations of Moroccans.

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Fez - The Executive Branch of the Organisation Marocaine des Droits Humains (OMDH) released a statement calling for Morocco to adopt a minimum age of employment of 18 years old.

The organization based its recommendation on the United Nations convention on the Rights of the Child, whose first article stipulates that “a child means every human being below the age of eighteen years.”

The OMDH called for creating a special law limiting the tasks domestic servants should do and the number of working hours.

The OMDH also reminded the government of the international conventions such as the International Labor Organization 182 Convention in 1999 in Geneva, which concerns the prohibition and immediate action for the elimination of the worst forms of child labour, and the International Labour Organization 138 Convention in 1973, which Morocco signed in 2001.

This convention stipulates in Article three that “The minimum age for admission to any type of employment or work which by its nature or the circumstances in which it is carried out is likely to jeopardize the health, safety or morals of young persons shall not be less than 18 years.”

The Moroccan organization of human rights emphasized the need to "come to grips" with the phenomenon of child labor through implementing compulsory education to the age of eighteen, preventing children dropping out of school, and eradicating poverty, which are the main leading causes behind child labor used mainly as domestic servants.

The rabat-based organization pointed out that domestic labor is one of the worst forms of child labor that we should prohibit because of the long hours of work, the use of chemical and poisonous products, carrying heavy loads, the use of sharp-edged instruments, living in unsuitable conditions, ill-treatment, and being exposed to physical and verbal violence and sexual harassment.

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Rabat - A study released by the National Observatory for Drugs and Addiction (ONDA) reveals that one in five Moroccan students has tried smoking cigarettes at least once and one in ten students has tried hashish. The study comes just ahead of World No Tobacco Day, which is observed around the world on May 31.

According to the Executive President of the Moroccan Federation for Tobacco and Drugs Prevention, Amina Baaji, Morocco is among the top countries for cigarette and drug consumption. Baaji cited the statistic that the number of Moroccan smokers in 2015 was 800,000 people (4-5 percent of the population) and that 750,000 Moroccans consume hashish.

Tobacco is the number one drug consumed in Morocco, followed by cannabis, alcohol, “soft drugs,” cocaine and marijuana, according to an article published by Le360.

The Moroccan Federation for Tobacco and Drugs Prevention launched the new “For a Healthy Society” campaign in Salé on May 27 to teach students about the dangers of tobacco and drug addiction. The campaign will make stops at middle and high schools throughout the Rabat- Salé region.

World No Tobacco Day was created by the World Health Organization in 1987 with the aim of encouraging a 24-hour period of abstinence from tobacco consumption worldwide. The global health campaign also serves to raise awareness about the dangers of smoking.

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By Rania Tazi

Rabat - A Moroccan high school student from Casablanca could not resist the lack of nicotine and smoked a cigarette in daylight in Ramadan.

This year, the baccalaureate exam took place during the first days of Ramadan. If fasting affects the performance of students on regular days, it has proven to be an even more difficult duty to undertake for those taking the baccalaureate exam.

According to ChoufTV, a student at Lycée Moulay Idriss in Casablanca experienced these symptoms during his exam. Affected strongly by the lack of nicotine in his system, the young student could not resist and decided to smoke in front of his peers and professors after finishing his first physics and chemistry test.

Responses to his action varied, but many people on social networks showered the student with support and defended him, saying that anyone could have acted this way in times of pressure and stress.

Without a doubt, the grueling pressure and rising temperatures have taken their toll on certain students. In fact, the Muslim Theological Council of France has noted the long fasting hours, along with physical and intellectual efforts, decrease people’s blood sugar level, in turn leading to a diminished intellectual performance.

Furthermore, a low level of blood sugar will trigger feelings of fatigue, uneasiness, sleepiness and will result in lower levels of concentration. This affects those taking the baccalaureate exam, which may have a direct impact on their future.

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By Christopher Thomas

Rabat - KidsRightsIndex has recently released its 2016 international rankings measuring how well nations respect the rights of children.

Morocco ranked as high as 74th on this list of 163 nations. As an initiative of the KidsRights Foundation, KidsRightsIndex cooperates with Erasmus University in Rotterdam. Its list includes a ranking for all 163 UN member states which have ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. This notably excludes the United States, the only country to have not ratified this treaty.

Children’s rights are measured in five categories including the rights to life, health, education, protection, and an enabling environment for child rights. Data was gathered from two reputable United Nations bureaucracies: UNICEF’s quantitative State of the World’s Children report and the qualitative UN Committee on the Rights of the Child.

Norway took the list’s top spot, with nine of the top ten nations being European states. Tunisia, number ten, was the single non-European nation on that list. The list calls special attention to Thailand and Malaysia, ranked 21^st and 26^th respectively, for doing “exceptionally well for cultivating an enabling environment for child rights.”

Morocco was one of 13 nations that was observed by the Committee on the Rights of the Child in 2014, and whose data was recently sent to KidsRightsIndex. The kingdom’s ranking has thus been reevaluated.

Certain rankings on the list are particularly surprising, such as Jamaica’s rank of 51. This puts it ahead of several richer, industrial, technologically advanced nations. The report itself acknowledges that “richer does not necessarily mean better” on its score, which explains why Italy (81), Canada (72) and the Republic of Korea (69) have lower rankings than nations like Jamaica. Given the state of Jamaica’s economy and education system, the NGO’s 23 indicators of children’s development seem to take into account more than surface-level notions of progress.

Nevertheless, Morocco’s improvement from 88 in 2015 to 74 today is noteworthy and represents the kind of progress that the kingdom aspires to achieve.

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By Rania Tazi

Casablanca - Morocco still sees high levels of child labor, including dangerous jobs. The dire conditions of these jobs make working a daily risk to the children’s health, safety, and innocence.

On June 12, International Child Labor Day, The Haut-Commissariat au Plan (HCP) published an analysis of their study, which was part of their 2015 national investigation on employment.

In 2015, 193,000 children aged 7 to 17 had already worked or were still working a dangerous job. This number represents almost 60 percent of all employed children, and almost 3 percent of all Moroccans in that age range. Of these 193,000, 75.3 percent are aged between 15 and 17. According to the study, boys are more likely than girls to be involved in risky labor, as they comprise of 78 percent of the concerned children.

The HCP further noted that his phenomenon is quite commonplace in rural areas. Almost 55 percent of working children in rural areas are subject to unsafe employment, which totals about 154,000 children. Working children in rural areas are most often involved in the agriculture, forestry and fishing sectors, which make up 76.4 percent of all dangerous employment. These children are 66 percent non-full time workers and 20 percent full time employees.

In urban areas, 39,000 children work unsafe jobs, which make up 86 percent of all working children in urban areas and 1.1 percent of all children living in urban areas. Children living in these areas work mostly in manufacturing and handicrafts; however, the most dangerous jobs involve the construction and public works sector, with 93 percent of children working those jobs exposed to hazards. In these urban areas, 50 percent of working children are full time employees, 27.7 percent apprentices, and 15 percent home helpers.

In addition to their hazardous occupations, the majority of the children concerned have never had a traditional education, with 9 percent having received no education whatsoever, 19.3 percent educated while working, and 71.7 percent of whom had quit school altogether.

The HCP noted that the rate of dangerous work in Morocco is 2.9 percent. This puts the kingdom below the world average of 5 percent, and far from that of sub-Saharan Africa, which lies at 10.4 percent.

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Rabat - Lamia Bazir, the President of the Al Akhawayn Alumni Association, delivered an inspirational speech at the 19th Commencement of Al Akhawayn University (AUI) on June 11.

This speech received 20 000 views on Facebook.

Many public figures attending the event, including André Azoulay, Advisor to King Mohammed VI, and Abdelatiff Jouahri, Governor of Bank Al Maghrib.

In her speech, Lamia Bazir sent a strong message about the true meaning of leadership, asserting that it goes beyond titles and positions. She urged graduates to not get absorbed by the pursuit of titles and hierarchies, but rather to concentrate on the quality of their work, and get back to the source of leadership.

Together with her new board, as the new President of the AUI Alumni, Lamia Bazir aims to unify her community of more than 4,000 alumni, reinforce their position in the job market, and improve their role as a vibrant force in Moroccan society.

The graduation was attended by prominent figures on the Board of Trustees of AUI, including Mr. Azoulay; Mr. Jouahri; Mrs. Amina Benkhadra of the National Bureau of Petroleum and Mines; Mr. Mohamed Kettani, CEO of Attijariwafa Bank; Mr. Tariq Sijilmassi, President of the Directorate of Crédit Agricole du Maroc (CAM); Mr. Abdellatif Guerraoui, CEO of Auto-Hall Group; Mr. Ali Fassi Fihri, Director General of Office National de l’Electricité et de l’Eau Potable (ONEEP); Ms. Miriem Bensalah Chaqroun, Administrator of Holmarcom Group and President of the Confédération Générale des Entreprises du Maroc (CGEM);, Mr. Mohamed Berrada, Professor and Former Minister of Finance; Mr. Larbi Belarbi, Former Vice President of Renault Maroc Services; and representatives from the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Industry, and Higher Education.

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By Myriam Ait Malk

Rabat - A Moroccan Human Rights Association member was verbally and physically assaulted along with her husband in Marrakech on June 17.

The issue led to disagreements between the AMDH and Marrakech police.

Sarah, a young Marrakech resident and AMDH advocate left her home at around 7PM on June 17 wearing a simple shirt and jeans. According to Telquel, while Sarah walked through her neighborhood in El Kasbah, a male stopped her, insulting her for her clothing, which he deemed inappropriate for the month of Ramadan.

The young woman immediately called her husband to join her as she faced the male. The couple was then assaulted by many of their neighbors.

Omar Arbib, member of the Marrakech AMDH office, told Telquel that “the couple did not wait long before filing a complaint to the local authorities.” However, the couple agreed to drop the complaint after reaching a settlement with their neighbors.

Following the incident, the AMDH issued a press release in support of the two victims saying, “We [AMDH] condemn any rise of citizen aggression as well as any organized groups attempting to prevent any forms of vices through violence or assassinations.”

The Marrakech local authorities issued a press release on June 19 in response, explaining that “power rests solely with the authorities, and citizens cannot usurp that role by setting ‘street codes.’” The Regional Court also added that “Nobody makes the rules apart from the authorities,” noting that it was the “provocative actions” of the couple that caused the neighbors’ reactions.

This launched a back-and-forth dialogue between both parties as the AMDH responded the next day with a second press release.

Arbib also told Telquel that such a response from the authorities and such surprising comments from the regional court were not worthy of the legal framework a press release should entail.

These were not the first tensions between the AMDH and the authorities, and this occurrence seems to simply add fuel to the fire as the authorities in question banned many of AMDH’s activities, including conferences, from taking place.

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By Bryn Miller

Rabat - On June 27, American First Lady Michelle Obama began her trip to Liberia, Morocco, and Spain to promote girls’ education in the developing world.

Throughout her trip, Mrs. Obama will update the world via Snapchat. For those readers without Snapchat, MWN will provide a photo feed with commentary chronicling her travels.

[caption id="attachment_190259" align="aligncenter" width="750"] Mrs. Obama meeting Liberian Peace Corps Volunteers[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_190258" align="aligncenter" width="750"] Let Girls Learn teaching female students how to make reusable menstrual pads[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_190256" align="aligncenter" width="750"] A Let Girls Learn (https://letgirlslearn.gov/) pin[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_190252" align="aligncenter" width="750"] Mrs. Obama sitting with a Liberian woman and meeting Liberian schoolchildren[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_190251" align="aligncenter" width="750"] Mrs. Obama sitting with a Liberian woman and meeting Liberian schoolchildren[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_190250" align="aligncenter" width="750"] Mrs. Obama arriving in Liberia[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_190249" align="aligncenter" width="750"] First Lady perks on Air Foce One[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_190248" align="aligncenter" width="750"] Mrs. Obama setting off from America on Air Force One.[/caption]

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Marrakech - It was an honor for me to be among the twenty-four girls who attended the Let Girls Learn event in Marrakech, Morocco on Tuesday.

Actresses Meryl Streep and Freida Pinto, CNN news correspondent Isha Sesay, and First Lady Michelle Obama were all involved to promote the initiative’s debut in Morocco.

On June 27, the first part of our two day experience, all the girls were invited to discover to USAID’s new Career Center in Marrakesh’s Cadi Ayyad University. The Career Center provides many services to high school and college students to help us prepare for our academic and professional lives. We learned about the resources available at the Center, including assistance to help us develop our soft skills, write resumes and cover letters, perform well in interviews, and use LinkedIn to help us find jobs.

After our visit to the career center, we were invited to attend an iftar with the Ambassador of the United States of America, Mr. Dwight L. Bush, Sr. and his wife, Mrs. Toni Cook Bush. Many leading figures in education, Moroccan and American alike, were present, including actress Meryl Streep. During the meal, I had the honor of sitting next to the ambassador himself. We talked about girls’ education in Morocco and the struggles that we face. Mr. Bush was very supportive; he encouraged me and the other girls to continue our schooling as a way to empower ourselves and make our dreams come true.

The next day, I had the honor of joining a round table discussion about girls’ education with Mrs. Obama, Ms. Streep, Ms. Pinto, and Ms. Sesay. During the round table, we discussed the obstacles that girls face worldwide and how to education can help overcome these struggles. The First Lady shared her personal story and the struggles she faced during her childhood. She emphasized that she never gave up, and has always worked as hard as she could to achieve her dreams. “There is no secret magic [to success],” Mrs. Obama told the girls, “except our hard work and hope to always look for the best in ourselves.”

I would like to thank the Peace Corps in Morocco for choosing me to represent them at this event. I know am only one girl among many in my country who faces obstacles when struggling to continue my education. Being among all these inspirational ladies at the round table gave me hope. Mrs. Obama is a role model for millions of girls all over the world by inspiring them to study and continue their education. Her visit to Marrakech changed my life by inspiring me to work hard and dream big.

Edited by Bryn Miller

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By Anthony Abate

Bouarfa, Morocco - Stunned faces filled the crowd at an environmental awareness event in southeastern Morocco as attendees found out just how long their litter will be present in the environment.

The event, organized by the Bouarfa Association for Peace, Culture, and Youth Development (APCYD) and United States Peace Corps volunteers, called attention to the environmental impacts stemming from decisions citizens make in their daily lives. Its timely presentation marked the beginning of the “Zero Mika” campaign introduced across the country on July 1, 2016.

The production, sale, and distribution of plastic bags, dubbed “mika” in Moroccan Arabic, have been made illegal by Law 77-15. Among the campaigns goals are distributing alternative, sustainable bags, assisting former producers and distributors of plastic bags, and raising awareness about why plastic bags are being eliminated from Morocco. The event focused more broadly on all of the environmentally harmful materials used on a daily basis and gave community members ideas of how to recognize and reduce their impact – plastic bags being just the first step in a long process of transforming Morocco into a more environmentally friendly home for Moroccans and destination for foreign tourists.

The initial idea for the event was that of APCYD’s president, Abderrahmane Abdellaoui. APCYD’s executive committee and Peace Corps volunteers held various strategy sessions and visited public officials at Bouarfa’s city hall to secure financial and logistical support. The event was launched on Saturday, July 1 with an environmental training of trainers. Twenty young people from Bouarfa were trained on the key components of Law 77-15 and the goals of the Zero Mika campaign. Risks of plastic production and use were covered, along with the long-term effects of plastic bags on the environment, humans, and other animals. They brainstormed innovative techniques to assist the implementation of the law in Bouarfa, where they felt many community members either did not understand the new law or resisted it.

On Sunday, July 2, the youth leaders who attended the training reconvened to conduct a trash collection visiting many parts of Bouarfa, both urban and rural. The goal of the trash collection was two-fold: to raise public awareness and decrease littering and to gather common types of waste found in the city to use as educational material. As crowds gathered in the center of the city to enjoy one of the final nights of Ramadan, they were met by eager young people calling them to visit a presentation in front of the city youth center. The presentation included 16 common types of garbage found on the streets of Bouarfa. As community members visited the tables with garbage, they were asked to guess how long those particular types of waste take to decompose in nature. Their looks of shock and surprise could not be masked as the real amount of time necessary for decomposition of common items such as paint cans, batteries, and plastic bottles was revealed to them by the youth trainers.

More than 300 people received information about the environment and the Zero Mika campaign, nearly all of whom were convinced of the merit of the campaign after seeing and feeling the effect of their waste. One attendee exclaimed, “If we had known this information before, we would have stopped using plastic bags long ago! Just like we stopped using the thick, black plastic bags a few years ago, we have to be ready to make this change as well!” As people in Bouarfa learned, plastic bags only account for a small portion of total plastic usage worldwide. More than half of all plastic production in dedicated to single-use items, such as chips and snack packaging, bulk item wrapping, and vegetable and fruit packaging. Plastic bags do have a particularly heinous effect despite their small percentage of overall plastic production given their ability to blow thousands of miles, enter the water system, and tear into small pieces where they pollute the water and entangle, strangle, and choke living creatures.

Morocco is wise to take this step that only a handful of countries around the world have taken so far. Bangladesh, Rwanda, and Taiwan have already successfully implemented similar campaigns. Moroccans are innovative and creative and will surely adapt quickly to the new law as long as it is publicly seen as a positive step for the country. It will improve the lives of farmers with clean fields, tourism will increase if Morocco is seen as a healthy and clean destination, and citizens will feel proud of their country to longer see beautiful vistas covered in white, purple, and blue plastic bags. Encourage your community to hold similar educational events, and set up neighborhood associations to brainstorm about removing trash and carrying groceries. As many Moroccans themselves mentioned at the event in Bouarfa, plastic bags were not ubiquitous until the 1980s and 1990s, so it is possible once again for Moroccans to carry out all of their daily tasks without this harmful source of pollution!

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By Alexandra Krauska Rabat – Morocco’s Najlae El Amrani was elected Miss Arabic Beauty 2016, in a beauty pageant that saw the participation of 14 women from around the world, according to the Huffington Post Maghreb. The competition was held from July 12 to 16 in Marrakech, featuring the best Arab designers and fashion experts.

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Rabat – Casablanca security forces successfully thwarted an organized collective attempt to break out from the Juvenile Correction and Discipline Center in Oukacha Prison in Casablanca. According to Hespress, the attempt was undertaken yesterday around midnight by a group of minors, and compelled a special Commando Forces to intervene and use bullets to foil it. A

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Rabat – Mutiny and acts of vandalism, that took place on Thursday night in the Ain Sbaa Youth rehabilitation Center in Casablanca, caused important material damage, and wounded civil servants working in the facility in addition to security officers who intervened to bring the situation under control, said on Friday the general delegation for penitentiaries

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Rabat – Ikram Bakir, 20-year-old girl from Fez who does not have hands, is mesmerizing Moroccan social media users with her positive attitude after her photo and story was published last Monday by Humans of Morocco, a Facebook page that photographs and portrays Moroccans in the street. The photo went viral on social media, with

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